I am a coffee shop dweller which comes with the territory when you work for yourself, so I always love to find new places to go to to work from and drink amazing coffee. It’s always a plus when there is also good healthy food.
I first went to Seven Sheep Coffee just a few short weeks after it opened and fell in love. It’s so quaint and cozy! You kind of feel like you are drinking coffee in your nana’s living room. It’s the perfect neighborhood hangout spot! They also have WIFI which most nana’s do not have.
Anyway, a few weeks later Luciane, the proud owner of the coffee shop invited me to come back to try some of her food and chat. We shared a ham and cheese sandwich, which is simple yet really hits the spot, especially with fresh baguette. She also had me try a whitefish salad sandwich which was to die for! I still crave it.
I loved getting to know Luciane, a hard working mom who takes alot of pride in her business, and food. She is awesome. I highly recommend checking this place out, whether you want to get some work done over coffee, read a book or chat with friends, this is the perfect place.
“It’s not just a place to just only come here and get a coffee and go, it’s like a family here, it’s an experience.”
What’s your name? My name is Luciane.
What do you do? I own a coffee shop over in Jersey City, it’s called Seven Sheep Coffee.
How long has it been open? It’s been open for three months, since August 21st.
Tell me a little about the food you serve, the drinks, what kind of coffee shop is it? I sell Coffee from Joe coffee company, from New York City. A reputable small roaster. I have sandwiches, baked goods, vegan muffins, gluten free snacks and now soups. Some of our sandwiches are very popular—The whitefish salad sandwich, the egg and cheese sandwich and the Farmed raised Ham and cheese are very popular.
So I’m eating the whitefish. This one is so good.
What are your hours? We open 6:30am to 4:30pm – Saturday and Sunday 8 to 5pm and in the near future we want to open until 8pm.
So it’s only daytime. We have a goal to be open until 8:00 pm.
For dinner? Well, a few people have been asking to stay open late… there’s a need for a non alcoholic place to hang out. I don’t think I will ever be a formal dinner place but we will have sandwiches, soups and salads.
Have you always been in the coffee shop business? I was in Manhattan for fifteen years; I had a restaurant/cafe with a incredible brunch business. I did dinners, I had a full liquor license. It was prior to the whole city transformation into the mega city it is today. I lost my lease…well I didn’t loose it, the 15 year term finished. Some incredible businesses had to close once the lease ended. Such as Pastis in the meat market.
Where was this? It was Downtown by Houston Street and Elizabeth, almost an extension of Soho area.
We opened in ’95, It all started with me been pregnant and feeling the pressure to be more financial secure. We wanted to make more money and my ex had the idea of opening a cafe. The first year was tough, I struggled, between learning to be a mom and at the same time learning to run a business. It was not a walking in the park but it paid off. I had to adjust and correct a few mistakes but the core was always there. I genuinely wanted to give good healthy food, great coffee, and clean atmosphere. It was 15 great years. it was beyond successful, it was a land mark really. One of the greatest brunches in NYC.
So why Jersey City? Not always we know what we want. I took some time off and tried different jobs and take some courses. In the end I started doing Uber and a whole new world open up to me. I discovered different towns, different parts of New Jersey that I didn’t know existed. At the same time I noticed how much I still liked the daily interaction with people from all walks of life. Once I drove a customer to Jersey City. His name was Steven and he is partially responsible for selling me “Jersey City”. He took his time to show me around while paying the meter. I was already thinking to open a coffee shop but this time around I had a list of requirements and on the top of the list was the type of people I wanted to cater for. I looked in Montclair, I looked in Rutherford, Fort Lee and I even consider going back to the City.
I started coming to JC often, it took me six months to realize, “Wow, I really like Jersey City,” I kind of negotiated two different leases and although the Heights is coming up the lease didn’t work out. Paulus Hook space needed more money than I wanted to invest. One day, I came to Seventh Street and saw this empty space. I like it, although it was in a quieter part of town. I would sit outside, look at the place, or walk in the neighborhood. Eventually, I called the landlord and said, “Is the place still available?” and he said, “Yes, it is waiting for you”.
How do you like it so far? I love it. I really do. I am a people person, I like diversity the old and the new mingled together. Although it is not on a main street or on a commercial area, so yes, people need to know about me, however, the customer base is exactly what I wanted. The people, the town, the officials are all really supportive and good to me. I love my neighbors. I do have great loyal customers.
What are your future plans for the coffee shop? It’s a very tricky question. I was in the restaurant business for a very long time. I had a great brunch spot, our food was very healthy and excellent. I had 7 incredible salads, omelets, and even burgers. I understand food in a unique way. However, I always loved coffee shops, small menus, quality coffees, teas paired with great atmosphere. If anything I will work on perfecting a smaller menu of breakfast and healthy dishes, simple home foods.
Do you hangout anywhere else in Jersey City? I do, but remember I need to be up at 4:30am so anything beyond 8pm is out of the question…smiles. I like Sam Am, I go to Ahri’s Kitchen, I had dinner with my family at Union Republic, I had drinks at Hamilton Inn and I have gone several times to Sky Thai on Morris street.
Why is it called Seven Sheep? When I think of Sheep I think of farmland but the most intricate thing about Sheep is that they need a Shepherd. I think what differentiate me from other coffee shops is that I like to talk to people. I care to establish a connection and that’s what the Shepherd does with the sheep. Seven is such a perfect number and I am on 7th street. It was natural for me to call Seven Sheep. A place to connect, a place that reminds good farm food.
I lived in Hawaii back in 1990 for two years. I was twenty-two years old and I learned about juicing, organic food and a very wonderful way of looking at foods. I was raised literally in a kitchen. My mother, is an incredible baker. My grandmother was an incredible cook, her wood burning stove was her living room. We always had natural, homemade farmed foods or juices around.
That’s good, people like that. Our milk is from Battenkill Valley Creamery, it is a farm upstate. We sell organic soy milk, organic almond milk; our apple cider is real, the chocolate mix is made here, the eggs are farmed, the Whitefish is of High quality, etc.
That’s good though you take pride in your food. Our vegan muffins are made with organic coconut oil.
What do you like about owning a coffee shop? People. I like the customers. I think if we can somehow create a place where people feel welcome to come, seat, talk and express their opinions, it is what a true coffee shop in southern Brazil is all about. A place to talk. Obviously I care about the product as well.
You’re a businesswoman. I don’t believe customers are always right but yes I am a business woman.
Oh really? I love it, but you’re real, you have a good attitude you know? I’m getting older so I’m starting to realize customers are right regardless, it’s not even about the customers, it’s about peace. You want peace above anything, but customers can be very, very difficult and they can ask things that are completely unreasonable and as a business owner you need to say no and sometimes at the expense of coming across not liked.
What’s your background? Where are you from? I’m from Brazil. I was always a dreamer. I wanted to be a journalist but most importantly I wanted to travel. I ask my mother often—“What did I want to be when I grow up,” she said, “You always wanted to travel. I lived in Spain, I lived in Portugal, I lived in England for sixteen months, I lived in Hawaii, from where I have great memories. I lived in New York City a huge part of my life and then I moved to Bergen County, New Jersey, and here I am having a business in Jersey City.
Anything else you want people to know? Seven sheep is not just a place to come and get coffee— most people are not aware that we have good organic or locally grown foods. Small menu but really good and a great little place for lunch.
Seven Sheep Coffee
342 7th Street
201-9186989
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